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15 April, 2008

Ahoy, a tea from the rather stupendous archives of CB - many thanks! I've long hoped to become acquainted with an aged version of Menghai's classic formula.

The leaves in the 7542 blend (below) are very small, being either tips or smaller fragments of other small leaves. This is old-fashioned tea. It's very dark, and exudes the sweet scent of old woodsap. Delicious.

The storage of this tea has been good: it has fine clarity in colour (a suitably attractive dark red, as pictured below), and a similarly crisp aroma or clean, sweet wood. It is a beauty to behold. In contrast to more junior teas, this leaps from the leaves: even the shortest of infusions results in deep, rich colour and character.

The flavour is also clean and crisp, being old cedar. Some welcome acidity remains at the end, making this perfect maturity for my personal tastes. The huigan is enduring.

I adore the energy of pu'er: it lifts my mind from its morning slumber, but soothes me like a lovely tonic. The caffeine is noticeable in my mind.

Later infusions lift the aroma in potency, as the chopped, blended leaves (above) open - caramel sweetness is the result. I wake my sleeping wife with a full gongdaobei and a smile. A sleepy hand extends from our duvet-mountain to take a cup, and satisfied sounds eminate from within.

What a success - thanks again to CB for the introduction.

P.s. As promised, Lei has been working with your jasmine flowers - thanks again!

2 comments:

Amazing! For once we agree about a tea! I really love this one too, and invested a tidy sum to ensure that I'll be able to drink it for some time to come...wow, so you brewed the jasmine...curious how that worked out ...My first inclination was to use the jasmine to stuff little eye-pillows to use for savasana at the end of yoga class, but I didn't get around to it.

Lei believes that the jasmine has been used for its scent - the flowers are mute - but when brewed in hot water, the result is very pleasant! She has been drinking it most nights instead of redbush. Thanks again!